New particles
X-Particles is a plugin for Cinema 4D, designed as a replacement for Cinema’s inbuilt basic particle system. It is a completely new particle system which does not need the standard Cinema 4D emitter or Thinking Particles. It has a number of components:
four generator objects – Emitter, Object Generator, Sprite Generator, and Trail Generator
three control objects – System, Question, and Action
two new primitive objects (Cross and 3-Plane) which can also be used independently of other X-Particles objects
seventeen particle modifiers including some new modifiers not provided with C4D as standard
two tags
a volume shader
a sprite channel shader
Control system
X-Particles contains a system of close control over almost all parameters using Questions and Actions. No Xpresso is required and everything is done through Cinema’s Object and Attribute Managers in the same way as for other objects. The system works by asking a ’Question’ of each particle – for example, does the particle age exceed a specified value. If the particle ‘passes’ the Question, an Action is called which has an effect on the particle, Most Actions work through the particle modifiers but others are independent of them.
Questions and Actions are not dependent on keyframes, so although most aspects of the X-Particles system can be keyframed, this is not essential to its operation.
Compatibility with other Cinema components
X-Particles is compatible with the existing particle modifiers in Cinema 4D. It can be used with object deformers and Mograph effectors, and works with the new dynamics system in R12 or later. For users of R11.5, it contains its own basic collision system for handling collisions with scene objects. Splines generated by the Trail object can be rendered with the Hair renderer. X-Particles can also emit Thinking Particles and particles can then be rendered with Pyrocluster or with the C4D Hair renderer.
Availability
X-Particles will be on sale via the dedicated web site (www.x-particle.com) from Tuesday, February 21st. It is available for Cinema 4D versions R11.5, R12, and R13.
Demo version
A 14-day unrestricted demo can be downloaded from the X-Particles web site (http://www.x-particle.com/?page_id=179)
Cost
The plugin will be available at the introductory price €99 until the end of March 2012, when it will revert to the standard price of €149.
About the creators
X-Particles is produced by Steve Pedler and Mike Batchelor.
Steve is a freelance software developer specialising in plugin development for Cinema 4D. Since 2008 he has written 8 plugins for Cinema 4D, both commercial and freeware. His personal web site is at www.microbion.co.uk.
Mike is Mograph artist woth 13 years exeriance working from shepperton studios in the UK.
His personal web site http://www.slouchcorp.com
Contact
Steve and Mike can be contacted via the dedicated web site (www.x-particle.com) or by email to info@x-particle.com.
